© 1996 - Carolyn Odom Burleson, Ph.D.
Author’s Note and Preface to the Second Edition:
CONTENTS: (Click on any bar to return to the contents.)
Lifestream is the Divine Mind-Spirit-Life which creates, composes, unifies, energizes, harmonizes, animates and regulates the universe. It is the force that holds each celestial body in its place, hangs the rainbow in the heavens, gives splendor to the sun, color to the rose, individual beauty to each snowflake, and expression through humanity. It is the Divine milieu in which we live, move and have our being. It is the Divine umbilical cord which is never severed from its Source. It is God in expression at the point where it streams through each and every manifestation. It is All.
It emanates from God and streams down through the invisible ethers expressing in subtle vibrations sensible only to those highly evolved souls. As it continues its stream downward it slows its rate of vibration until it becomes perceivable in varying degrees of light, sound, odors, vapors, fluids, and dense materialization. Regardless of how we perceive it, it is all One - One Divine Mind-Spirit-Life. It is the Presence of God in all, through all, around all that exists. When we breathe, we inhale it; when we think, we mold it; when we speak, we proclaim it; as we live, we direct its flow; when we love, we share it; when we pray, we commune with it; and when we keep silent, we hear it speak to us.
The Lifestream carries with it all the creative power of the Universal Mind, and we have this power at our disposal at the point where it streams through us. However, the use we make of it is dependent upon how much we are able to grasp in our own consciousness. We may study the scriptures and the teachings of the master, but unless we put them to work in our lives, our study becomes merely an intellectual exercise. The words of the master Jesus are as alive this very day as they were when he uttered them. His message is as meaningful to us now as it was to his disciples two thousand years ago.
So much has transpired in the world since the first edition of Lifestream was published. Our communications technology has made a quantum leap into cyberspace. In a matter of seconds we can be virtually anywhere in the world by way of the World Wide Web on the Internet. And yet with all the technological advances there seems to be little progress in the human condition. Television, films and video games have utterly desensitized our youth to violence and mass destruction. Events that once made our heart and nervous system cringe have been relegated to child’s play. We must, if we are to have a world suitable for our spirit to soar, acknowledge the fact that we created the circumstances of this world. We can create new and better conditions as well.
Our world is just as we conceive
it.
Change our conception of the world, and we change the world.
The conditions of the world are brought about through the collective consciousness and efforts of humanity. All too often we view the situation in which we find ourselves as being the result of someone else's doing (as if we had no choice in the matter). If we cannot find gainful employment we blame it on the economy or the politics of our government. If we become ill we blame others for exposing us to the disease, or the pollution in the air we breathe or in the water we drink. If there is difficulty in our relationships we blame others for being biased and insensitive. If we cannot get what we want out of life we claim we are being discriminated against. If our children are unruly and rebellious we attribute it to peer pressure or other bad influences outside of the home. If we are in financial difficulty we blame our business partner, our spouse, our family members or even the president for not controlling the economy.
These are reasons often given for such conditions or circumstances, all of which have one thing in common: We absolve ourselves from all responsibility. Things are being done to us, and decisions are being made for us. To conceive ourselves always as victims of circumstances or of someone else's whims is not only a narrow and self-limiting manner of viewing life, but it also serves as an excuse for not assuming responsibility for our own lives. We are indeed responsible for our immediate circumstances as well as for the condition of the world in which we live, and it would behoove us to recognize and accept that responsibility.
If we conceive our world to be narrow and self-limiting, and ourselves as helpless to do anything about it, we will continue to allow ourselves to be tossed to and fro with no apparent direction like a whirling leaf on a windy day. However if we can conceive in our mind's eye a world in which we are the active, creative beings we were meant to be, who recognized and assume responsibility for our own lives and for creating our own circumstances according to our desires, then we will be just that. For anything the mind can conceive and believe can be manifested objectively - but not without some effort on our part.
Through attunement with the universal Lifestream we come to know that the universe is broad and expansive rather than narrow and self-limiting. And since man is the microcosm of this broad, expansive universe, we must therefore view ourselves to be broad and expansive as well. With this new conception of ourselves and our world, we work toward changing our own limited reality to become closer to our new concept, and we aspire toward much greater heights.
The aspiring student learns to go within himself in order to understand the difference and the relationship between the world as he sees it and as it actually exists, and to bring his conception of the two into closer harmony. He learns to utilize the active principles of his consciousness, i.e. he learns not only to use his reasoning faculties but also his imagination to create in his mind's eye the ideal state, the fulfillment of his desires, to which he can aspire and work. This volume provides those of you who have become aspirants with some lessons, tools and techniques to help you to realize your dream. The use of them becomes your responsibility. You will no doubt discover many more as you get in touch with your inner-self which is your True Guide. I can only share the knowledge which I have acquired thus far (which is by no means complete) I too am still growing. I do know, however, that once you establish a connection with your inner-self, you will receive guidance to realize your dreams.
Before you can realize a dream you must, of course, first have a clear conception of your dream, a vision, a new image of yourself, of your life circumstances, of your relationship to others and of your world. You can aspire no further than your clearest conception of your dream, your highest ideal. kahlil Gibran, a renowned mystic and philosopher, once wrote, "To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has achieved but at what he aspires to do." Our aspirations are directed toward our highest ideals, but our highest ideals cannot exceed our own conception of what is attainable.
If our concept of the world is limited only to how it appears in our present reality, then our energies are only directed toward coping rather than toward growing. But fortunately for us we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" with an imagination that permits us to see beyond our present limited circumstances. We can conceive of a progressive, dynamic, loving and peace-filled world ever evolving into a higher expression of consciousness. We can conceive of ourselves actively participating in such a world. We can and do participate in the evolution of our own expression of being through the choices that we make.
We can begin today by attuning to the universal Lifestream to awaken our consciousness to the Higher Power that resides within each one of us, and we can use our imagination along with this higher Power to channel into expression those conditions which we desire in our lives and in our world. By working individually to awaken our own consciousness, we are making a positive contribution to the collective consciousness of the human race. Each newly awakened consciousness draws a higher light vibration into the total mass of the race consciousness thereby raising its vibration. The Light Bearers of the world are working with the Light Seekers of the world to raise up the entire race consciousness to a critical mass from which we may all leap together into a consciousness of Love, Peace and Light - CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS .
This series is an outgrowth of the Lifestream Workshops and is designed to be used as a tool for personal growth as well as for group study. The summary points provide a focus for discussion, and the exercises will help provide the impetus to get you started to working on those all important desires of your heart and bring them to fruition. If you are reading this lecture, it is for you to read. There is a message for you that only you will receive; for its approach will awaken in your consciousness those divine ideas extant within you that are needed for your own personal growth (if you will use them). There are lessons and exercises both spiritual and mundane; for we work on all levels to raise the consciousness of the race as the Life streams back to its Source.
Lifestream
The sun rose for me today I heard the Father-Mother say,
" Peace, be still and know that I AM GOD."
In all I think, in all I do this same message funnels
through
- attune I to the Great Lifestream of God
For in it do I live and move and is my being surely
proved
I see the life of all who come my way
As part of mine and I of thine as though entangled in a
vine
that ties us all together in some way.
The Father-Mother meant it so - just as above - it is
below
for nothing is apart from God, you see;
We all stem from the same Life Source that once it has
complete its course
returns to God all One on the Lifestream
© 1996, Carolyn Odom Burleson, Ph.D.
Now prepare yourself for the journey into the Lifestream
More About
Dr. Carolyn-- Lifestream Center - Center of Joy Publication - Miracles - Inspirations- Home
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This is the
Lifestream
It is our effort to encircle our globe with Light, Life,
Love and Good Will.
We invite you to join with us in the Lifestream.
Click on the globe to see how you can let your light shine.
Click on the stars to flow with the Lifestream.
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© 1996 - Carolyn Odom Burleson, Ph.D.
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